Nunez Making Most of New Opportunity on Soccer Field

When Tino Nunez came home to Long Beach after helping the Baltimore Blast to the Major Indoor Soccer League championship, he figured he was closing the door on his professional career.

He took the job as the coach of the Millikan High School girls soccer team – his alma mater – along with training a youth club twice a week. He figured it was time to become the coach, not the player.

But when asked about it last June, he left the door cracked.

“I’m finally done playing, except for maybe in California,” he told the Press-Telegram in June. “I’m ready to transition from playing to coaching.”

Turns out, the crack in the door was wide enough for Nunez to find a team in California – the expansion Ontario Fury of the Professional Arena Soccer League.

So, now, Nunez is pulling triple duty on the soccer field. He spends his mornings and weekends playing and training with the Fury in Upland, then his afternoons with the Millikan girls and his boys club team. And it’s all working out so far.

“It’s been going well,” Nunez said after a recent Fury practice. “It works out. I come here and train in the morning, go home have a little brunch, and then I head to Millikan and coach the girls. So, it’s good. It works out that we train in the morning, and I’m able to come here, and plenty of time in between to do what I have to do to make sure I get there.”

Not only is the arrangement working out off the field, it’s been working on the field for the Fury as well. Nunez scored the game-winning goal in Ontario’s season-opening victory over Dallas. And then he contributed a three-goal game – the expansion team’s first-ever hat trick – as the Fury defeated Sacramento 9-1. Ontario takes the field next Nov. 24 against Las Vegas. The game starts at 4 p.m. at Citizens Business Bank Arena.

“Tino has been a big part of our early success this season,” said Bernie Lilavois, the Fury’s president and coach. “He is still at the top of his game physically and his experience has provided an steadying influence in our locker room.”

As a forward in the cramped spaces of the indoor soccer field, Nunez can often be found posting up with a defender on his back in front of the goal. He is often a target player in the Fury attack, receiving the ball and trying to turn and get a shot on goal.

“As a forward, your team is relying on you to score or set up plays,” Nunez said about his recent hat trick. “It’s always nice to get goals when one goes in, and then the next one goes in. It’s obviously a good feeling, but it’s about helping the team.”

Nunez has another motivation for doing well on the field: His players are watching.

“Actually some of them have come out and watched some of the games,” Nunez said of his players. “I’ve been putting the word out to come check it out, telling them ‘You guys could come and critique me, since I’m always screaming at you guys.’ A couple of more girls came out this past Sunday, so I made myself look good in front of them. It’s great to have them support their coach.”